Malai Kofta

Hard·35 min

Soft fried dumplings of paneer and potato bathed in a velvety, mildly sweet tomato-cashew cream gravy. A rich vegetarian centerpiece for feasts, eaten with naan or pulao.

Malai kofta is a Mughlai-influenced North Indian dish — malai for cream, kofta for fried dumpling — soft paneer-and-potato balls bathed in a rich, mildly sweet cream gravy. It is festive, restaurant-grade vegetarian indulgence.

Pillowy dumplings dissolve into a luxuriously smooth, faintly sweet gravy rich with cashew and cream. Warm spices and tangy tomato keep the richness balanced rather than cloying. A hidden burst of raisin or nut surprises in the soft center.

Cashews blended into the gravy emulsify with the cooking fat to create a thick, glossy, naturally sweet sauce without heavy cream alone. Frying sets the kofta surface so the soft paneer-potato interior holds together when bathed in sauce.

Variations

Lauki kofta (bottle gourd), nargisi kofta (egg-stuffed), Kashmiri kofta, restaurant white-gravy version

On the Palate

Where Malai Kofta sits in the Indian flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 4

How it's made

8 steps · 35 min

1
10 min
Mash paneer and boiled potato together with salt, a little cornstarch, and chopped nuts.
Watch out
Mash the paneer and potato with just enough cornstarch to bind into a smooth, dry-ish dough; too wet and the koftas burst apart in the oil.
2
8 min
Shape the mixture into smooth balls, tucking raisins inside if desired.
3
12 min
Deep-fry the koftas gently until golden, then drain and set aside.
Watch out
Fry the koftas gently to an even gold so the surface firms into a shell; rush the heat and the outside colors before the inside sets.
4
12 min
Saute onion, ginger, and garlic, then add tomatoes and soaked cashews and cook down.
5
5 min
Blend the mixture into a smooth puree and strain it back into the pan.
Watch out
Blend the gravy silky then push it through a strainer — the strained-out skins and grit are what stand between you and a glossy sauce.
6
8 min
Simmer the gravy with chili, garam masala, and a touch of sugar, then stir in cream.
7
3 min
Adjust salt and consistency until silky and pourable.
8
3 min
Add the koftas just before serving so they stay soft, and garnish with cream.
Watch out
Slip the koftas in only at the last minute; sit them in the sauce too early and they drink it up and fall apart.